Improvement in table-cutlery



PATENTE@ JAN `25 18m @zA Nl ama .gaat @me aan.

JOSIAH-H. NICHOLS AND WILLIAM BOWER OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO BEAVER FALLS CUTLERY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 99,104, dated January 25, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN TABLE-CUTLERY.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all lwho/m. it may concern Be it known that we, JosIAH H. NICHOLS and WILLIAM Bowan, ot Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a 'factire of knives, or other handled articles of table furniture, with a castmetal shell handle, covering a filling of wood, or other suitable material.

`lo enable others skilled in the ait to make and use our invention, we wilhproceed to describe its construction and the manner ot' operation.

IVe make the blade a by forging, or in other known way, from steel, or other suitable material, and either with or without a bolster, b.

On the end of the bolster b, or on the end of the blade, if a bolster be not made, we forge a tang,'c,

longer -or shorter, as may be desired, but at least long enough that a. lling, d, of wood, or other suitable material, may be attached thereon, the end of the tang c being pressed or'forced -into the end of the filling, or the two being attached together in other convenient way, and also long enougl1,that the metal of the shell e,may be cast on to and around the tang c, as shown in fig. 1.

Theiling d we make of any durable shape, and somewhat less in size than the complete handle is to be.

The tang c hasa groove, c', or is otherwise roughened or collared, so that the metal cast thereon will form a strong and firm joint therewith.

' The knife-blade and the filling d are then inserted in a properly-shaped mould, vertically, with the baseor outer end of the handle upward, and the shell eis cast thereon.

In order to prevent the misshaping ofthe steel e by shrinkage, we use, in casting t-he shell, a mould, having a large sprue, and thus we ind the shrinkage is coniined to the metal in the sprue, to such extent that the metal shell e is not misshapen thereby.

The s hellis then polished, plated, or otherwise finished up in any of the ways known iu the art.

We thus make a knife .which has, in eiect, a solid blade and handle, without a joint or seam for the entrance and injurious action of water.

At the same time, we avoid, what is very objectionable, viz, giving to the handle too great a preponderance4 of weight. This-we secure by the filling of wood, or other suitable material lighter than the metals, usually employed for such uses. i

The filling may be protected from the injurious aotion of the hot metal thereon, in casting, by being charred, if of wood, or by being coated with any suitable material or mixture, which is not combustible at the temperature to which it may be raised before the solidiication of the shell.

The shell may be made of any metal or metallic compound, or alloy, suitable for such purposes.

It' a cast, instead of' a forged, bolsterbe desired, the tang c may be made on the end of the blade, and in a mould having a cavity of the proper shape, the shell and bolster may be cast together.

The cavity in which the shell is east may also have any desired configuration or design made in its face, so as to give the knife-handle, when complete, any desired style of ornamentation.

But if the bolster be cast as just `indicated, we usually forge, at the base-end of thelblade a', a raised rim", o, of steel, which protects the soft metal oi" the handle.

We do not limit ourselves to the mode described, of

' anchoring the filling d in the mould, by attaching it to the tang e, but include in our mode of operation any known way of anchoring cores in casting; nor do we limit our invention to a shell cast on to a llng, since the shell may be cast separately, slipped overa snitable filling, and attached to the tang, bolster, or blade by spinning, grooving, or by casting aferrule on to both` at the point of junction,and such mode of manufacture.

we include in our invention. We also apply it to making not only knives, but also forks, nut-pickers, and other handled articles of table furniture.

What we claim as our invention, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is l 1. In the manufacture of handled articles of table furniture, a cast-metal shell, combined in handles of" table cutlery, with a filling, d, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

2. The :filling d, in combination with a tang, 0,-and shell e, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, we, the said JOSIAH H.

NIcHoLs and WILLIAM Bowen, have hereunto set our hands.

J OSIAH H. NICHOLS. WM. BOWER.

\ Witnesses: I

THos. B. Kann, A. S. NICHOLSON. 

